. >> woodruff: the giant hybrid storm named sandy left a growing toll today. officials reported at least 39 people killed, and $20 billion or more in damage. the nation's most populous city and its surroundings were at the epicenter. new york is a city in shock today, even deserted in places after a night of fear, fire and floods. a record storm surge of 13 feet poured into parts of lower manhattan, brooklyn, and queens as sandy hit. the rush of water closed major commuter tunnels linking manhattan with otherbos contributing to the worst damage to the subway system in its 108 years. >> last night we could look down this street here and we saw the river coming toward us and it actually looked like something out of a movie. it was unbelievable. >> woodruff: equally unbelievable, winds of at least 80 miles an hour blew out the bright lights that usually dominate the manhattan skyline. some one million homes and businesses in and around the city lost power. today mayor michael bloomberg appealed for understanding amid warnings it could take days to restore all tra